Abu Dhabi’s Empty Quarter might just be the place to fill your heart.
As temperatures finally begin to dip, it is high time to venture into the glorious desert. And while that might seem like a regular day out in the UAE, there is certainly a lot more to it.
The Empty Quarter located in the vastness of the Rub Al Khali desert provides right on our doorstep one of the most forbidding tracts of wilderness in the world.
Journeying into the Empty Quarter is a way to experience the nomadic lifestyle of Bedouins who once traversed the mysterious desert across the Arabia peninsular. As the roads disappear and there is nothing but enormous sand dunes as far as the eyes can see, know that you have arrived at the right spot.
Whether you like to simply camp under the night sky to enjoy an authentic desert experience or live like a nomad, the Empty Quarter offers a myriad of activities for everyone to experience and remember for the rest of their lives.
Head to the rolling dunes on a clear night and experience stargazing like no other. Take it a step further and set up camp to truly experience life as the Bedouins of yore.
And to delve deeper into that unique way of life, Team Yalla highly recommends you ride with Desert Diva, Marina Bruce.
Although a Scot by birth, Marina possesses a Bedouin sensibility, and she knows how to get around the Empty Quarter. She can assist you in arranging anything from a desert outing to a full-on exploration.
If it is just a glimpse into Bedouin life that you seek, albeit a luxurious one, then spend an evening at the Al Mabeet Desert Camp at Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert Resort & Spa, which one can even do without being a resort guest. Another luxury desert experience can be found at Qasr Al Sarab. Perched atop rolling dunes on the edge of the Empty Quarter, this resort is as much a fortified village as a palace.
To reach the Empty Quarter, head there in an exhilarating 4×4 ride, but for that more authentic experience, make sure to ride atop a camel once there, travelling as ancient explorers once did.
While you can bask in the glory of the Empty Quarter for a full day, Team Yalla recommends spending the night for a more true-to-Bedouin life experience.
For authentic desert tours and advice, visit thedesertdiva.com
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